Search Grants & Funding

The Strengthening Rural Communities program gives small rural, regional and remote communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds that can benefit and help secure their future prosperity. Grants are available for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.

Applications from not-for-profit organisations in communities of fewer than 15,000 people are prioritised, particularly those communities whose size, remoteness and relative access to services, funding, and resources present particular ongoing challenges. The Strengthening Rural Communities program accepts applications any time. FRRR considers applications and makes grant distributions on a quarterly basis.

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare & Recover program supports communities in remote, rural and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long-term timeframe, generally one to ten years after the disaster.

Grants up to $25,000 are available for a broad range of initiatives to strengthen the capacity and capability of local people, organisations, networks, and systems that help communities to be informed, skilled, connected and resourced for the future.

Specifically, SRC Prepare & Recover will support communities impacted by the following disasters:

• 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires;
• 2021 QLD floods;
• 2021 NSW floods;
• 2021 WA Tropical Cyclone Seroja; and
• 2022 flood events across NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and VIC.

The Strengthening Regional Communities (SRC) Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.

Recognising the impacts of COVID-19 on communities, the Australian Government has partnered with FRRR to distribute $5 million from 2022 to 2024 to support community-led initiatives that:  

• Enhance the process of recovery of remote, rural and regional communities from the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Reduce social isolation and foster stronger, more resilient remote, rural and regional communities; and/or  
• Sustain local remote, rural and regional organisations and their work. 

Projects funded must align with one or more of the following charitable outcomes:

• Bringing people and community organisations together to foster stronger, more resilient communities.
• Fostering and celebrating a sense of identity, diversity and cultural connection within the community.
• Supporting diverse groups within remote, rural and regional communities including, but not limited to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse, those living with disability, and LGBTQIA+.
• Improving community health and social wellbeing.
• Enabling people to develop skills, knowledge and confidence to lead and contribute to the prosperity and renewal of their community.
• Building a sustainable volunteer base and/or supporting the wellbeing of volunteers.
• Celebrating and resourcing volunteer-led efforts.
• Increasing access and inclusion for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including remote communities.
• Enhancing places where communities gather.
• Promoting connection to place and enabling initiatives that champion a community’s social, cultural or economic aspirations.
• Reducing the divide on access to digital technology and connectivity for remote, rural and regional communities.
• Enabling locally-led responses within rural, regional and remote communities endeavouring to reduce the impacts of the changing climate within their community.

The Strengthening Regional Communities (SRC) Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.

Recognising the impacts of COVID-19 on communities, the Australian Government has partnered with FRRR to distribute $5 million from 2022 to 2024 to support community-led initiatives that:  

• Enhance the process of recovery of remote, rural and regional communities from the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Reduce social isolation and foster stronger, more resilient remote, rural and regional communities; and/or  
• Sustain local remote, rural and regional organisations and their work. 

Projects funded must align with one or more of the following charitable outcomes:

• Bringing people and community organisations together to foster stronger, more resilient communities.
• Fostering and celebrating a sense of identity, diversity and cultural connection within the community.
• Supporting diverse groups within remote, rural and regional communities including, but not limited to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse, those living with disability, and LGBTQIA+.
• Improving community health and social wellbeing.
• Enabling people to develop skills, knowledge and confidence to lead and contribute to the prosperity and renewal of their community.
• Building a sustainable volunteer base and/or supporting the wellbeing of volunteers.
• Celebrating and resourcing volunteer-led efforts.
• Increasing access and inclusion for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including remote communities.
• Enhancing places where communities gather.
• Promoting connection to place and enabling initiatives that champion a community’s social, cultural or economic aspirations.
• Reducing the divide on access to digital technology and connectivity for remote, rural and regional communities.
• Enabling locally-led responses within rural, regional and remote communities endeavouring to reduce the impacts of the changing climate within their community.